Negreanu's latest blog update...

[Voltron87]

let me get this straight: ESPN told everyone that if you finished in the top 20 of one of the circuit events or got to the final table of the main event you would qualify for the TOC 2,000,000 freeroll. Then ESPN adds 3 superstar players, which cuts into the 109 original players' equity, and this is a really really big deal? I'm not impressed Danny. He does not seem that intelligent from his writings, and his attempt to play the populist angle is just plain ugly. What exactly is the big deal here?

edit- It also sounds like Danny wishes he was one of the invites. He looooves the publicity.

also, dynasty, a little explanation on the deletions? the posts you deleted probably deserved to be deleted, but how can anyone know if you just delete them and everything else people say asking about it?

[Dynasty]

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also, dynasty, a little explanation on the deletions? the posts you deleted probably deserved to be deleted, but how can anyone know if you just delete them and everything else people say asking about it?

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If I delete something, it is inappropriate material (usally, an uncalled for insult of a player or poster).

[Kevmath]

Maybe Daniel will invite the players over to his house for some Golden Tee. Seems a bit odd to be sticking up for the "little people" and then go off and play 4/8k and win/lose 6 figures every session.

[TheMainEvent]

If Daniel had been approached and offered an exemption would he have refused for the reasons he mentioned? Seems very unlikely.

I think he is right, but also feels slighted at not being invited

[Solitare]

He is whining just like the pro golfers that whine about exemptions to thier tournaments.

Are the exemptions fair to the players who earned their way in? Tough sh*t. The $2 million payout has to come from somewhere, and if the sponsers think 3 big names will boost ratings, well that's the way it is.

I've always thought that pro golfers were the most spoiled whiners of all pro sports. Poker players may give them a run for the title.

Why am I not surprised that many posters don't seem to understand that someone could take a position on an issue based not on narrow self-interest, but rather on principle.

[roundest]

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Obviously, this is just amateur psychoanalysis, but it seems possible that Daniel's take may have something to do with not being added himself.

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This was my first thought as well.

[shaniac]

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let me get this straight: ESPN told everyone that if you finished in the top 20 of one of the circuit events or got to the final table of the main event you would qualify for the TOC 2,000,000 freeroll. Then ESPN adds 3 superstar players, which cuts into the 109 original players' equity, and this is a really really big deal? I'm not impressed Danny. He does not seem that intelligent from his writings, and his attempt to play the populist angle is just plain ugly. What exactly is the big deal here?

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The big deal is that the 2005 TOC was presented as a "no invite" tourney the whole time. There was no basis for adding three players to the tournament, and no criteria for picking those 3 players. Even if you wanted to make a case for Doyle and Johnny's inclusion--since they did both win a history-making 10th bracelet yada yada--how do you justify Phill's invitation?

No matter how you slice it, it's not cool to randomly invite 3 superstars at the last minute just because you feel like it. Danny's right, this isn't Kosher.

[Kevmath]

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Why am I not surprised that many posters don't seem to understand that someone could take a position on an issue based not on narrow self-interest, but rather on principle.

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How about if they take an issue on principle AND a narrow self-interest? Was adding in Hellmuth, Chan and Brunson the wrong thing to do, yes it was. However, just because he decides to mention a few of the lesser known participants in his blog doesn't mean he really cares about them. Maybe he should put his money where his mouth is, boycott the WSOP/WPT and create his own series of tournaments if he cares so much about poker.